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Potassium isotopes may provide a novel approach for fingerprinting recycled sediments in the mantle due to the significant differences in K abundance and isotopic ratio between subducting sediment and the mantle. However, the behavior of K isotopes in sediments during subduction zone metamorphism is still unknown. Here we investigate K isotopic composition of a set of well-characterized high- to ultrahigh-pressure metasediments from the Schistes Lustrés nappe (western Alps), which represents marine sediments subducted down to ~90 km depth in a cold subduction zone, and their protoliths from the Lavagna nappe (Apennines, Italy). The metasediments display δ41KSRM 3141a values from –0.76‰ to –0.48‰, which are on average lower than the mantle value (–0.43‰) but similar to those of non-metamorphic equivalents (–0.79‰ to –0.49‰). No systemic variation of δ41K with metamorphic grade is observed, suggesting negligible K isotope fractionation in these sediments during prograde metamorphism. This is in accord with the limited loss of K during the entire metamorphic history as evidenced by the constancy of K/Rb and K/Cs ratios between metamorphic and non-metamorphic sediments and the absence of correlations of δ41K with K/Rb and K/Cs. The heterogeneous δ41K values of metasediments are most likely inherited from their protoliths, which experienced different degrees of chemical weathering depending on their provenances. Our results demonstrate that the variable and light K isotopic signatures in subducting sediments could be preserved to depths of at least 90 km along a cold geotherm gradient, indicating that the introduction of sediments into the mantle could produce K isotope heterogeneity in the source regions of mantle-derived lavas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate-silicate interaction within subduction channels influences the chemical and physical properties of subducting carbon and is crucial to understanding the fate of carbonates in subduction zones. However, geochemical evidence for such interaction is still limited. Here we investigate zinc isotopes (expressed as δ 66 Zn JMC-Lyon) to decipher potential carbonate-silicate interaction in subducting slabs given the remarkable Zn isotopic difference between silicate and carbonate components. A suite of high- to ultrahigh-pressure metasediments containing variable amounts of carbonates from the Schistes Lustrés nappe (western Alps) record subduction processes to various depths (∼15–90 km) in a cool geothermal condition (∼8 °C/km). Despite a broad range of metamorphic grades (0.8–2.9 GPa and 300–630 °C) and carbonate contents (0–49 wt%), the bulk metasediments have nearly constant δ 66 Zn values (av. 0.21 ± 0.05 ‰ , 2sd, n = 12), which are indistinguishable from their putative protoliths (0.25 ± 0.07 ‰ , 2sd, n = 5). The lack of systematic variation of bulk sediment δ 66 Zn with metamorphic grades implies a limited transfer of Zn during prograde metamorphism. Therefore, sediments will preserve their original Zn isotopic compositions after subduction into the mantle. By contrast, the carbonate components in sediments obtained by leaching exhibit a progressive decline in δ 66 Zn from 0.82 ± 0.01 ‰ to 0.20 ± 0.04 ‰ and a modest increase in Zn concentration with pressure. These variations are best interpreted as a result of prolonged closed-system Zn isotopic exchange between isotopically heavy carbonates and light silicate components in the subducting slab. Our results demonstrate that a considerable amount of carbonates in subducting sediments can be retained at least down to the depths of the sub-arc mantle (>90 km). The strong pressure-dependent Zn isotopic fractionation (R 2 = 0.87) during carbonate-silicate interaction makes Zn isotopes a novel proxy for the storage depth of subducting carbonates. • A systematic zinc isotope study on western Alpine metasediments. • Prograde metamorphism has limited impact on Zn isotopes of bulk subducting sediments. • Variation of δ 66 Zn in carbonates reflects interaction with silicates in a closed system. • Zn isotopes are an indicator for the storage depth of subducting carbonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]